Wyche Says It's Too Bad Vinny's Gone

Tampa Bay Would Be A Stronger Team If Vinny Testaverde Still Were Wearing A Bucs Uniform, Coach Sam Wyche Said.

August 24, 1993|By Jeff Babineau of The Sentinel Staff

Tampa Bay coach Sam Wyche said Monday that the Bucs' quarterback situation - considered tenuous by many because of 39-year-old starter Steve DeBerg and unproven backup Craig Erickson - would be stronger if Vinny Testaverde were still with the team.

''I think we would have simply because I think Vinny is that kind of a passer,'' Wyche said. ''I'd have loved to have him here another year. We'd have been here (in camp) with four guys. It would probably be Vinny instead of (Mark) Vlasic.''

The fourth quarterback Wyche referred to was Mike Pawlawski, who was released earlier in camp.

Testaverde, who signed as a free agent with Cleveland in March, likely would have been the Bucs' starting quarterback this season, Wyche said. Testaverde spent six seasons with the Bucs and returns to Tampa on Friday when his new team plays the Bucs in their final exhibition.

Before his exit, Testaverde repeatedly stated his desire to remain with the Bucs. A deal never was struck. Testaverde, a former Heisman Trophy winner who was the first overall pick in the 1987 draft, opted to become a Brown, signing a deal worth about $1.5 million in base salary, comparable to what he earned with the Bucs last season.

Testaverde is Tampa Bay's all-time leading passer, compiling 14,820 yards. No other quarterback has started a game and led Tampa Bay to victory since Testaverde won the job late in 1987.

Wyche said poor timing played a role in Testaverde's exit. Tampa Bay had signed free agent quarterback Neil O'Donnell of Pittsburgh to an offer sheet worth about $8.1 million over three seasons, and while Pittsburgh was deciding whether or not to match it - the Steelers did match - Testaverde received an offer from the Browns. He eventually accepted.

Losing out was Tampa Bay, which wound up with neither of the two. DeBerg, the league's oldest player, will start against Kansas City on Sept. 5, with Erickson and Vlasic, a free agent with four NFL starts in five seasons, running second and third on the depth chart.

Wyche said the timing of Testaverde's signing surprised him, because the two had ongoing discussions aimed at keeping Testaverde in Tampa.

He also said the Bucs were willing to pay Testaverde a starting quarterback's salary if he was the team's starter, but could not afford to pay him the same salary if he was a backup. The Bucs' contract offer for 1993 was structured in a way that Testaverde would need to achieve several bonus incentives. Cleveland offered a bigger base.

''We said, 'Look, let's make it flexible so that if you're the starter you're going to get paid like a starter,' '' Wyche said. ''To the best of my knowledge, if he had a real good year (with the Bucs), the money would have ended up being more down here. But there was all of that uncertainty involved, and he decided to move on.''

Did Wyche think the time had arrived for Testaverde to leave Tampa Bay?

''I didn't, but I'm a Johnny-come-lately on this six-year run,'' he said. ''The one year that I was with him, I thought he made tremendous improvement.''